Mississippi: Vicksburg

15-18 April 2022

When the Lee Boys were much much younger, we took a family vacation to Gettysburg, PA to see the bloody battlefields and museum there. On our trip last year, we visited Little Big Horn. Battlefield, history and cemetery. Today we added to our war tour at the Vicksburg National Military Park, where we saw many of the 1330 memorial battle markers and monuments. All the states who sent soldiers for the Siege of Vicksburg have monuments in the Park. Ohio had one monument for each of the regiments they sent—39 monuments and 20 markers designating where they fought.  (Side note: having seen several battlefields, I’m ok if we don’t visit any more. Not that I don’t feel a need to be aware of history, but here’s the thing: there was a battle, one side was here, the other side was there. People died. A LOT of them. It was horrible. Here is a cemetery where they are buried, row upon row. Oh, and there is an interpretive center here too—they will tell you what I just told you only with a LOT more detail. The details and dates may change but the story is basically the same story no matter where you are if you’re visiting a battlefield. Lucky you, not so many photos because of how I feel about this!)

After touring by truck, we headed into Vicksburg for lunch. I will post later on a post just about food, but suffice to say, I am now a big fan of fried green tomatoes, as well as soft shell crab po’ boys!

We spent the afternoon exploring the Lower Mississippi River Museum, which included a Riverboat self-tour of the ship Mississippi. I really wanted to see the Doll Museum, but the proprietress had passed away and the museum has permanently closed. There was another little museum in town and we did pay our $7 (for two!) to see the Coca Cola Museum. 

As we were driving from Birmingham to Vicksburg, at some point along the freeway we were suddenly seeing these stately magnolia trees. Not in bloom, but showing off their glossy leaves. Just like we have maples and Bradford pear trees planted or growing along the wooded sides of the freeway at home, here the magnolias tell us we’re in the South. They’re so stately and pretty. (It would be fun to see them in full bloom!)

One of 39 Ohio monuments honoring our sons who fought in Grant’s army to try to capture Vicksburg.
Vicksburg is known as the “key” to the Civil War, and indeed, after Pemberton surrendered, the war turned in favor of the North.

Most monuments were not as grand as this one and the one following. The road was out on the way to this one, so I don’t know whose it was. Even with threatening skies, I thought this was a nice composition.

I’m not at all sure that angels are all about war, but this one was beautiful on the Missouri memorial.

This was, I think, the most impressive of the memorials we saw. IMHO. It is dedicated to her citizens who fought for both the north and south and is located on what is now Confederate Avenue at the location where they fought each other. 

The National Cemetary at Vicksburg

The view of the Mississippi River from Fort Hill, the highest point of the battleground.
It’s an impressive view.

I was impressed with how precise all the markers were at this site. They were Red for the Confederates and Blue for the Union and were placed to outline where various battles and skirmishes took place. Many even listed names or numbers of wounded and killed soldiers and the regiments involved. These markers were too numerous to count. They were everywhere. Even on some private property outside the actual park confines.

The USS Cairo 

The USS Cairo was one of seven ironclad steamships delivered in 100 days. She was protected by 2.5 inches of armor and equipped with 13 heavy cannon.  Under full steam, she needed a ton of coal per hour. She was sunk in 1862 in 36 feet of water and was raised in 1962, having been covered with a protective layer of river silt. She did crack into several pieces upon being pulled out of the river but was reconstructed at the USS Cairo museum. She was very impressive. None of the other six vessels made at the same time survive. 

One of the cannons on the USS Cairo (pronounced KAY-roe); named after river town Cairo, IL.

Original wood and iron sheathing

M/V Mississippi IV USACE Towboat

Visiting the towboat was the most fun thing at the Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum. These photos show interior shots of the control room, above, and other areas the US Army Corps of Engineers utilized as they patrolled the river.

Some of the instrumentation in the Pilot House.

In case you were wondering….now you know!

This is cool; the lower bunk can unfold into a couch!
Most all these rooms had a closet or large locker and a separate bathroom with shower, toilet and sink.

The large kitchen for food prep for the crew. The officers’ kitchen was much smaller (but they got to use the fine china and flatware!).

The Coca Cola Museum in Vicksburg

This is the front room in the Coke Museum; lots of bottles and memorabilia.
Note this beautiful old soda fountain, left.

Evidently, the Vicksburg bottler was the first in the country to actually bottle Coca Cola. Now you could enjoy it at home and you didn’t have to go to the soda fountain for it (it was mixed with syrup and soda water to form the beverage we know today). Since the syrup patent holder had no objections, bottles were shipped all over the surrounding areas. This idea really took off and the bottler became quite the wealthy man, building a family mansion high on the hills overlooking the Mississippi River. This sales brochure was aimed at soda fountain owners at some point afterward. Sales tools!

Another aside: when the bottles were sealed and then opened, the cork in the bottle would often “POP” out—with a bit of a sound. Thus, the term “soda pop” was born.

Memorabilia

I love this: profit calculators, order pads and a Bottlers Convention brochure from 1948.

On the right side of this photo is a recreation, using authentic pieces, of an old soda fountain. What I really liked when we followed the signs to go back there was the pathway and the little patio surrounded by buildings. I wonder how many other patios are hidden from view along the old storefronts of Washington Street in Vicksburg? Also, note the crape myrtle beginning to leaf out (left side). This was just charming.

We have one more full day, Easter Sunday, in Vicksburg; we may drive down to Natchez and gaze at the antebellum charm there. Everything is weather-dependent as we have had some big downpours in the past 24 hours and more is in the forecast! Stay tuned!